Miami Dolphins Host Second Annual Football UNITES™ Jason Jenkins Day of Service
The Miami Dolphins, joined by local officials, community partners, corporate sponsors, community restaurant partners, local media and members of the South Florida community, hosted the second annual Football UNITES™ Jason Jenkins Day of Service on Wednesday, Oct. 30, to celebrate the life and legacy of the organization's late Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs, on what would have been his 50th birthday.
Nearly 650 volunteers, including Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Open and Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix staff, spent the day serving a cumulative 1,600 hours across over 25 community projects in South Florida. In total, more than 22,000 members of the local community will be impacted through these projects throughout the Tri-County area.
"I'm filled with gratitude to see how, not only this organization, but the South Florida community continues to keep Jason's legacy alive," said Dolphins Cancer Challenge Executive Board Chair and wife of Jason Jenkins, Elizabeth Jenkins. "On what would have been his 50th birthday, Jason would have been proud to see our children, Liya, Aiden and Sloane, alongside this organization serving the community that he dedicated so much of his life to serving. Thank you to the local officials, media members, Football UNITES™ community partners, corporate partners and everyone who joined us to celebrate and remember him today. We miss him deeply but understand that serving one another is the best way that we can continue his legacy and make a positive impact in South Florida and beyond."
Jason Jenkins joined the Dolphins in 2009 and dedicated himself to serving the South Florida community for 14 years. In 2015, Jenkins was promoted to Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs and oversaw the organization's front-facing brands, including marketing, public relations, social media and community efforts for the Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Open and Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. During his tenure, he led the charge for various community initiatives including the Junior Dolphins youth football program, the Miami Dolphins Foundation Food Relief Program, the Miami Dolphins Football UNITES™ program and was an influential part of the Dolphins Cancer Challenge. Jenkins created community programming that served as a model for the NFL, most notably his social justice initiatives and Football UNITES™, whose mission is to use football as a vehicle to unite groups of different races, genders, sexual orientations, identities, abilities and faiths. Jenkins passed unexpectedly in August 2022, leaving behind an incomparable legacy of impact in South Florida. Announced on the one-year anniversary of his passing in August 2023, the Miami Dolphins will continue to host the Football UNITES™ Jason Jenkins Day of Service annually on his birthday as a way to celebrate his life and carry on his legacy.
Volunteers at community service projects:
Served meals to over 225 people.
Assembled more than 1,100 hygiene kits and care packages.
Planted over 100 plants at a local park.
Planted 325 fruits and vegetables.
Inspected, sorted, and packaged 23,800 pounds of food.
Impacted more than 900 children and young adults.
Supported facility improvements and holiday preparations at local community centers.
Community service projects held by the Miami Dolphins for the Football UNITES™ Jason Jenkins Day of Service included:
Beauty Initiative: At Hard Rock Stadium, more than 40 volunteers assembled care packages with feminine hygiene products. Volunteers included Elizabeth Jenkins and her three children, Liya, Aiden and Sloane, Dolphins players' wives, and organizational staff, who packaged hygiene kits that will support local women to ensure those experiencing homelessness and financial hardships have access to hygiene necessities.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami – Bigs in Blue: Miami Dolphins LB Bradley Chubb and OL Kendall Lamm joined students from the Big Brothers Big Sisters Bigs in Blue program and law enforcement officers at Hard Rock Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 29. Dolphins players engaged with students and officers as they toured Hard Rock Stadium, participated in a team building activity, and enjoyed dinner provided by Miami Dolphins Community Restaurant Partner presented by Amazon, Lovely's.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Fall Festival: More than 40 staff members supported Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami's Fall Festival. Volunteers helped prepare for the event by putting up decorations and creating goodie bags for participants. Later that evening, volunteers from Florida Technical College joined Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami staff to lead activity stations, read books and pass out goodie bags to student participants.
Breakthrough Miami: More than 21 volunteers at Breakthrough Miami wrote gratitude cards to local community members.
Broward Education Foundation: The Miami Dolphins supported the Broward Education Foundation's 5k Walk and Run event with a donation along with Dolphins branded rally towel giveaways on Saturday, Oct. 26. Miami Dolphins Vice President of Community Affairs, Kim Miller, was on hand as participants donated canned foods for Harvest Drive Florida.
Broward Rescue Mission: More than 25 staff members prepared and served lunch and dinner to formerly homeless residents at the Broward Rescue Mission in Hollywood. Volunteers engaged with residents, wrote them personalized holiday cards and served lunch.
City of Miami Gardens: Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium and Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Pri Shumate, Senior Vice President of Stadium Operations, Todd Boyan, Elizabeth Jenkins, and Vice President of Community Affairs, Kim Miller joined over 35 volunteers to take part in a beautification project at Rolling Oaks Park in Miami Gardens. Participants planted multiple gardens to contribute to the improvement of the park.
Dan Marino Foundation: More than 50 Miami Dolphins staff supported the Dan Marino Foundation's Sports and Chess Day in Dania Beach. Volunteers facilitated games and activities and provided encouragement to participants.
Education Foundation of Palm Beach County: Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver, O.J. McDuffie joined over 10 volunteers to pack and stock up supplies in preparation for the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County's Teacher Shop Day in Riviera Beach. Volunteers worked at registers and helped teachers purchase supplies on their wish list as a part of the Teacher Shop Day. The event went on to benefit teachers in Palm Beach County providing supplies to support their classrooms.
Feeding South Florida: Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium and Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix Chief Financial Officer, Chris Clements, joined more than 100 staff, corporate partners and members of the local media, in collaboration with Publix, to help inspect and package meal boxes at Feeding South Florida. Volunteers packaged a total of 23,800 pounds of food that will benefit families in the South Florida community experiencing food insecurity. Additionally, over 20 volunteers from the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project spent the morning of Saturday, October 26, sorting, inspecting, and packaging food at Feeding South Florida.
Health in the Hood: Dolphins Cancer Challenge Executive Board Chair and wife of Jason Jenkins, Elizabeth Jenkins, along with her three children joined over 50 volunteers to plant a vegetable garden at Health in the Hood's Opa-Locka Church Garden. Volunteers planted over 320 fruits and vegetables that will go on to support people in the local community.
Lotus House: Four volunteers, including Miami-Dade County Court Judge Marcus Bach Armas supported Lotus House's Halloween Cookie Party. Volunteers helped prepare for the event by putting up decorations, creating goodie bags and organizing the cookie design station.
MDSPD Police Explorers: In the evening, six volunteers participated in a clean-up project at the at the Miami Dade Schools Police Department campus. Participants collected litter around school campus and contributed to the beautification of the school that is home to Miami Dade County Public Schools law enforcement officers.
Miami Rescue Mission: More than 20 staff members prepared and served lunch and dinner to formerly homeless residents at the Miami Rescue Mission location. Volunteers also sorted and organized donated food that will benefit formerly homeless individuals at the Miami Rescue Mission.
National Voices for Equality, Education, and Enlightenment (NVEEE): More than 10 volunteers created sensory gift bags for local special needs children.
Seeking Education Empowers Knowledge (S.E.E.K) Foundation: More than 15 members of staff helped organize and clean the foundation's science lab that serves their afterschool STEM programs in Miami Gardens.
SOS Children's Village: Over 35 volunteers participated in a beautification project at SOS Children's Village in Coconut Creek. Volunteers contributed to several home updates that will serve local families in need.
Special Olympics South Florida: Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium Vice Chairman, President and CEO and Managing Partner of the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, Tom Garfinkel along with Dolphins Cancer Challenge Executive Board Chair and wife of Jason Jenkins, Elizabeth Jenkins and her three children, Liya, Aiden and Sloane, joined over 45 volunteers as Special Olympics South Florida and the Junior Dolphins hosted a football field day in Hialeah. Dolphins staff led local students through football stations and provided participants with lunch from Miami Dolphins Community Restaurant partner presented by Amazon, Food Junkies.
SunServe: Over 15 volunteers participated in a beautification project at SunServe in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Volunteers painted and decorated tiles to renovate the SunServe Adult Center which serves local members of the community annually.
UNITED WAY MISSION UNITED of Broward: Six staff members assembled care packages that will support local veterans, active service members and their families.
YWCA: More than 30 members of the organizations and family members served at four different YWCA preschool locations across Miami and Miami Gardens. Volunteers helped to build gardens, assisted with classroom projects, and read to children.